Debunking the Dog Alpha Theory
The dominance and alpha theories in dog training are very much still out there. From pet owners, I may hear things like, “my dog thinks he is the alpha in our house” or “I need to be better at teaching my dog who is boss.” Even if those words are not used, I often hear […]
Tips For Housetraining Your Puppy
Have a new puppy? I was interviewed on WCPO’s Cincy Lifestyle show about tips for housetraining your puppy. Below are four puppy training tips for potty training, and below that is a video of the interview.
Are You A Dog Training Cheerleader?
Do you cheerlead when you train your pet? I thought I’d talk a little about what I mean by that, and why cheerleading can take away from your effectiveness to teach. Hope it helps! [siteorigin_widget class=”WP_Widget_Media_Video”][/siteorigin_widget]
Stop Your Puppy From Chasing The Broom
Like so many puppies do, this little girl had a habit of chasing, pouncing on, and biting the broom. Here she is learning a different response. She is getting reinforced for calm behaviors when I am moving the broom. You will see a few times when she tried to grab it. When she does, I […]
Explaining Extinction In Dog Training
Meet Cody. An almost one year old havanese who mastered the art of barking at, pawing (and scratching), and jumping on his human mom (I will refer to those behaviors as needs seeking behaviors) to get anything he wants in life. He used those behaviors frequently to get treats, attention, play interaction with his mom […]
Introducing A New Puppy To Your Adult Dog
The other day I visited the home of an Instagram phenom Harrison Ford (@HarrisonFordBulldog) and his newest housemate, Norman Peanut. There were some issues between adult dog and puppy, and they were looking for some guidance to help them get along. In this post, I share what I taught them and also have some tips […]
Why ‘People Food’ Is Good For Dog Training
I train dogs and puppies (and parrots and other animals) and teach others how to train their pets using positive reinforcement. That means teaching behaviors by building contingencies between those behaviors with consequences the learner values. And food is the most common form or positive reinforcement used in teaching new behaviors. Small pieces packed with […]
How I Kept My Dog Safe From Off Leash Dogs
When you have a little dog that takes anti-anxiety medication and has a fear of many large dogs, you tend to be careful about where and how you walk him. At least I am. Last week we had a very scary incident that could have led to dog aggression just as we were finishing a […]
A Quiz For Kids On Dog Body Language
I see children all of the time who love having a dog a part of their family. I also see many dogs that are uncomfortable and often do not feel safe around kids. That is why I think it is so important to teach kids that part of being a good dog friend is understanding […]
A Reflection: Helping Aggressive And Fearful Dogs
A Reflection: Working With Behavioral Cases Sometimes, I feel the need to share my reflections on my career in dog training. This is one of those times. I have been getting more and more calls about fearful and aggressive dogs (or with other behavioral issues). While it can sometimes be challenging as I figure out […]